The Fifth Dimension
by ellumina
Summary: Aerith uncovers the mystery of Cloud Strife’s heart…and not without some stolen help from her ruby eyed friend. Aerith, Cloud and Tifa. Oneshot.


Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy VII and Advent Children. I'm only borrowing.

**A/ N:** Edited because it was full of errors. Introspective about Aerith's thoughts on Cloud and trying to understand his relationship with Tifa.

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**The fifth dimension.**

"I want to be forgiven."

She smiled. She always did. He came for her. Wasn't that enough?

"Isn't it time you did the forgiving?"

The change in him was instant. And then he was off again, to search for the children that he secretly treasured.

She walked aimlessly in the endless fields, hands clasped comfortably behind her, her mind filled with thoughts of the planet and her friends and the blue-eyed fighter who was the pillar of them all. Flowers brushed against her, soft, velvet petals touching the skin between the top of her boots and the hem of her pink dress. The white-wash of The Promised Land glimmered as she moved within it, drenching her in light and the warm smile touching her lips added to the radiant glow of her face.

What else could she do but smile when here, everything was serene and peaceful? When Cloud had come for her?

She wasn't like all the other people. She smiled in the face of pain, of danger and death. She smiled when the world fell apart and when the Planet cried for help. She even smiled when the sword pierced her slender body and took her life away. Why wouldn't she when, a Cetra, she understood what others couldn't fathom and knew that death would lead her to a greater place where she would contribute to a greater cause.

Her smile was the sunlight that broke through the clouds every morning to cast its golden glow upon the planet over which she watched.

And as she watched Cloud Strife slowly overcome his demons and fight, the smile deepened and her eyes lit up with a new form of delight.

It stayed, but dimmed slightly when she cast her emerald eyes upon the figure of another special person, a beautiful person with dark, silken hair and alluring honey-colored eyes that swirled with flecks of burgundy when hope and emotion washed over them

_You're not like other people too_, the flower girl mused to herself, watching tentatively as the younger woman, drenched in moonlight, fought for strength.

Those eyes, eyes that had smiled every minute of their infamous journey, expertly burying thick layers of pain and doubt and suffering, were now flooding with tears their stubborn owner refused to shed as she awaited the fate of her children, her family and struggled with the unspoken answer of the question she'd asked earlier.

Aerith stopped moving and pressed her hands to her hips, tilting her head slightly as she watched over another woman in another realm.

_Which is it? A memory or us?_

The smile never wavered. It stayed firm and loving and somewhat sad along with the delight that was eternally trapped in those glamorous emerald eyes. The delight dimmed too then faded into a quiet, repentant gaze.

And she just watched empathetically as Tifa sat still, broken for the same reason that had put that immeasurable delight in Aerith in the first place.

_You came for me…_

"I know you want to cry," Aerith whispered softly, reaching out as if to touch her friend's shoulder and ease the pain she was feeling. "But you won't. You're not like other people."

The flower girl looked away and closed her eyes as a foreign feeling coursed through her. There it was, the feeling that had been in Cloud when he'd come. The feeling winding through Tifa now. The guilt.

She shook her head and sighed realizing that she'd just breached Tifa's personal space. Tifa's feelings and emotions were not something Aerith would normally observe. But then, that look in Tifa's eyes, that unbearable sadness that the young martial artist was holding in so hard, wasn't it indirectly caused by the flower girl herself?

"Not you too," Aerith said lightly as she looked at her friend and unconsciously tried to penetrate those ruthless walls and understand more of the pain Tifa was feeling.

But the Promised Land, the flower fields and the pretty white light gently tugged her away from the troubled dark-haired girl, urging her to focus on other happier things. Aeris smiled and thought of Cloud.

"Cloud," she mused softly her eyes opening and scanning the planet in search for him. "How come I can only help you?"

Tifa's question rang in her mind again and for once she felt like not smiling. No, she wasn't upset, or sad or angry, but suddenly, smiling seemed inappropriate when that one, daring question had put so much happiness inside the flower girl as it simultaneously ignited pain within the one who'd asked it.

_It wasn't fair_, she thought to herself silently shaking her head and crossing her arms, tilting her head in a somewhat contemplative frown as her eyes once again found the martial artist.

Aerith knew the question had meant no harm, but harm had come anyway. She knew that something was pressuring Tifa, pushing her to ask Cloud that question. Tifa Lockhart did _not_ intentionally hurt others. It was just _not _in her to do so.

Did Tifa really expect Cloud to forget about _her_? Was she not the one who saved them all?

Aerith's thoughts deepened and then her eyes widened as she looked at the lovely young girl in the land of the living, finally understanding.

No, Tifa would do anything to keep any hurt from the others. But then, she almost always hurt herself in the process, keeping everything in, bottling it up, spilling absolutely _nothing_ about her fears or her insecurities. She was the reason they'd managed to stick together through that horrible ordeal with Meteor.

_And here she is doing it all over again_, Aerith said to herself, fastening her hands on her hips and sending Tifa a berating look, _hurting herself just so Cloud could figure out what he wanted and get up and move!_

So Cloud had figured it out. When Tifa bravely asked that question, urging the guilt-ridden hero to see what he really wanted the way she was seeing it as clear as the sun, he realized that he could not give up. That he needed to stand up and move and confront his past. Tifa had given him that at her own expense.

Aerith's memory, what she did for them…Cloud would never let that go away. He would never have been able to let Aerith's sacrifice simply go to waste. And so Tifa told him to do something about it without really using so many words. She'd opened his eyes, told him exactly what he wanted when she asked him to make the choice.

But then…Tifa shouldn't have hurt this much. _It_ shouldn't have hurt this much. Cloud, he did finally get up and move, disappearing almost as soon as the question had been asked without even answering her. But, he was answering just by staying quiet. And Tifa, despite knowing the truth beforehand, was breaking apart in the aftermath.

Did she love him that much? Even when she'd known all along that she'd only be hurt.

Aerith looked away her eyes troubled as she wondered if it was at all fair for Tifa to break down so quickly.

Yes she did love him...

_But Tifa, _Aerith thought softly,_ do you really love him as much as I do?_

Emerald eyes turned back to the dark-haired girl, pressing her face into her hands and rocking quietly upon Denzel's bed amidst the thousands of pieces of her shattered heart. And the emerald eyes softened, concern igniting inside them as she automatically whispered soothing words.

"Don't Tifa…Cloud cares."

That was the difference between them.

Where Aerith spoke soothingly, Tifa acted vehemently. And both girls knew how to exploit their special strengths.

Tifa. A strong name to a gentle woman. A gentle name to a strong woman. One who had no idea just how strong she was. There was always pride accompanying the thought of Nibelheim's angel, even when, lately, it was laced with worry. That pride swelled in Aerith like a growing bubble whenever she watched over Tifa, watched her being strong and steady, and she wanted to tell the world that this was her friend. That they'd journeyed together, talked together, laughed together as friends and as family.

But the world wouldn't know. Not unless Tifa herself did.

Her feet moved again, walking through the flowers that seemed to part for her. Hands at her back with her fingers closed around one wrist, eyes bright and grateful and lips curved gently upwards, Aerith walked on, her thoughts rushing between two stubborn souls and then herself and the strange situation all three were in.

Her eyes unconsciously trailed over in search of Cloud and her smile brightened slightly when her eyes fell upon him. He was walking away from the Forgotten City, his hand tucked protectively around Marlene's smaller one as he led her to the bike he'd left against the white, leafless trees of the Ancient Forest.

There was confidence in his walk, less guilt in his stride as though he'd released it all in the fighting and Aerith could sense that he was no longer so willing to give up as he'd been before. She knew where he was heading, holding Marlene's hand carefully.

Marlene…even she had spoken up when Cloud's guilt was beginning to hurt them all.

Aerith found herself thinking back to the words he'd uttered a while ago.

_I want to be forgiven._

She watched earnestly, eyes focused on him, narrowed in concentration.

_By who?_

Her eyes trailed once again to The Seventh Heaven and the woman inside, whose hands were pressing into her face, and whose tears were threatening to spill and suddenly, Aerith was not so sure of the right answer anymore.

Had he really needed her forgiveness before he could move forward…when he'd already been moving to save the children?

_Stop running! _

Strong words. Powerful words. Words that had done the impossible.

The smile Aerith held faded slightly. Those words….was Tifa really that strong?

_Cloud…Were those the words that made you come back to The Forgotten City? Were those the words that brought you here, to confront your past and face the pain lurking in it? _

_Did it really take Tifa for you to visit my resting place?_

_Or did you know you would see me, Cloud, when that wasn't what you intended at all?_

She stayed silent, watching, thinking and wondering back to the short conversation she had had with Cloud.

_Why did you come?_

Again her eyes were drawn to the land of the living, to the Seventh Heaven and the woman sitting there hating the wounds that had kept her from saving the kids.

The moonlight that filtered through the window, peeking from between thick clouds did little to bring in the light. Tifa sat in the dark, fading into the shadows the same way her heart was fading into nothing. Even from up here, from the washed whiteness of the Promised Land, the shadows gripped her, wrapping her trembling body in their cold embrace. Dark hair, black clothes, a hidden moon, she was swallowed completely by the night.

Only the ribbon on her arm shone.

As if on cue, Tifa let her fingers brush gently against the satin band and somehow, those cranberry lips curved into a delicate, bittersweet smile. Aeris blinked in confusion, watching curiously as Tifa's fingers rested upon the pink ribbon while her eyes dipped down to do the same.

"You died to save us all," Tifa whispered, as if talking to the ribbon, to Aerith herself. Aerith listened intently, because she wanted so much to help the girl who was giving away everything for the safety of her loved ones. "I don't want that to be for nothing. Help him, Aerith. I couldn't do it. Help him help them. I can't lose anyone anymore."

_Like your mother? Your father? Your home and your town and all your people? Like Jessie and Biggs and Wedge and the people of Midgar?_

_Like me?_

_Like...Cloud?_

_You won't, Tifa,_ Aerith thought silently, even though she knew Tifa wouldn't hear her. _I won't let him run anymore either_. _Cloud will save the children. _

She turned her eyes to Cloud, a gentle look in them and the admission came in a soft, understanding whisper.

"That's why he came."

She stood silent, slightly shaken by the revelation and then she sighed and shook her head in disappointment before she let the smile spread on her face again.

"No more dilly dallying."

Her eyes trailed the distance to Edge and to the Seventh Heaven and she shook her head at the sight that greeted her.

_No Tifa! No giving up!_

She hadn't seen Tifa cry since the day of the flower girl's death.

Aerith reached out, as if to hug her friend and then frowned as she raked her mind for something, anything to say or do. Tifa couldn't give up now. Her family was in danger. Those kids…

_I guess that only works for real families…_

Aerith eyes softened and she shook her head at Tifa who was angrily wiping away her tears, and hating herself for her weakness. Even when her weaknesses floated to the surface, she was determined to stay strong. The tears she was wiping, refusing…that just wouldn't do.

"Remember Tifa?" Aerith called out, ignoring the fact that Tifa would not hear her words, "Remember what Cloud said?"

_Not my family, not my friends…_

"Didn't you hear wht he said?"

She watched as Tifa walked to the window, studying the figurine perched atop the archway outside, wings spread to greet the sunlight and watched as the rising sun glinted off its smooth marble structure. Her eyes were reddened slightly from the burning tears she'd forced back all night and her face was still pale in the aftermath of her fight at the church.

And her son was out there waiting to be rescued.

Aerith made her decision quickly. She walked over to Tifa, the thousand mile journey ending in a heartbeat, and stood a few feet away wondering if she needed to make her presence known. She smiled and looked at the ribbon on Tifa's arm.

Her presence…she'd always been there. And that ribbon proved it.

The flower girl silently stepped up to Tifa, stood at her back and carefully slid her arms around Tifa's waist, fingers prodding the damage lining her ribs, as she rested her chin on her friend's shoulder. The fighter stiffened sensing the presence. She tried to turn, to look for its source but felt the gentle shake of the flower girl's head against her shoulder. And then Aerith pressed her hands to Tifa's bruised ribs and let the healing spell flow from her fingers.

"Aer…"

"Go," the flower girl said softly, walking away. "Your son needs you."

Tifa listened. She went to rescue Denzel, while Cloud brought Marlene home. Aerith watched them miss each other by a few minutes and resisted the urge to slap her forehead.

But she didn't leave just yet. She lingered on to help them in their fight against the horrid summons, lending her strength to Cloud when he approached the hideous creature suspended in mid-air and pushing him up, forward as all her other friends had done.

And she lingered on to watch Cloud face his nemesis again and fight to defeat him for the sake of those he cherished.

And she lingered on to summon the rain that would cure the Geostigma and smiled as she watched the disease being washed away leaving happiness and joy and delighted laughter in its wake.

And all the time, Cloud had been fighting, driven by words that the one who knew him most uttered in a moment of weakness. He had stopped running, and rushed to the rescue of the children like any real father would do for his real family. He summoned his strength because, amidst all the chaos, there was that cherished smile he just had to protect.

_So, what do you cherish most Cloud?_ The flower girl thought silently, realizing that both she and Tifa had gotten it all wrong.

_Your memories? Your past?_ _The image of me, of my hands locked in prayer and of my fingers reaching for yours, giving strength to you like everyone else did?_ _Were those not enough to set off your anger and push you into defeating Sephiroth?_

_Or was it the image of your kids looking up to you, of Denzel and Marlene's innocent faces, of Tifa's smile, of your family standing together beside you the real trigger to your strength?_

She listened to Sephiroth's words echoing in her mind and smiled at Cloud as his unconscious body floated towards her.

_Give me the pleasure of taking it away._

Aerith turned at the sound of footsteps and stared at the person approaching her, all the while deep in thought.

_Like Zack and I were taken away? _she wondered when the raven-haired soldier came to a stop next to her_. Is that why you thought of us? Of what he'd taken away before?_

_But then, what _do_ you cherish most, cloud? What would you not let Sephiroth take away?_

She sighed letting Zack swing his arm comfortably around her shoulders and leaned back.

_How could it be me, when I am already gone? When I didn't regret going even if it meant being without you?_

_How could it not be them, when the minute your eyes found the images of their smiles, of the family you claimed you couldn't help, your mind closed to all but the defeat of the man threatening to wipe those very smiles away and your body rebelled in on itself and lunged for their rescue?_

_When the minute you saw_ them_, you_ _moved_.

_Would I have ever triggered that reaction in you?_

Again, words she'd heard earlier stirred in her mind and her eyes alternated between Cloud and Tifa, narrowing in concentration as she tried to figure out how much of an impact Tifa's words had had on him.

_There's no cure…_

She closed her eyes and recalled the image of the two, sitting on the beds facing each other, Cloud giving up and Tifa struggling not to. Her strength, the barmaid's hidden strength had practically been shining in those few minutes she'd spoken. And ironically, those few minutes had marked Tifa's closest encounter with the notion of giving up.

Just what would have happened if Tifa hadn't spoken her strong words earlier that day? Would Cloud have continued to run?

_So you _were_ gonna give up and die… _

Aerith sighed impatiently, watching as Cloud's still body floated in the Promised Land towards her, not devoid of life or filled with it, but floating somewhere in between.

_So why were you so angry, Cloud, when the remnants shot you, promising you the death you had already accepted? Did you not want to die anymore? Did you not want to come here?_

She shook her head when everything fell into place and touched her hand to Cloud's forehead.

Tifa's words had changed everything. Aerith understood it so clearly now. Those words, spoken at a moment of weakness, a moment when yet more loss was threatening the young woman's life, had actually worked their magic and sent the broody, dejected soldier to his feet.

_Did seeing me really make a difference, Cloud? When you came here, would you have given up if Zack had met you instead of me? Would you have said something else, Cloud? Would you have not asked for forgiveness if it had been him? _

_When you came to the City to save the children, would you have stopped your bike and turned around if I hadn't met you halfway?_

She took a deep breath, smiling down at the sleeping soldier and quietly sending him back to where he belonged.

_Did you really choose a memory?_

Crossing her arms, and leaning back when Zack slipped his arm casually around her shoulders, Aerith shook her head in answer to her own question and thought back to the words he'd spoken to Tifa, words that had answered everything the minute they were uttered.

_Not my family, not my friends…_

_So that truly is what they are to you? Your family?_ She chuckled almost inaudibly but happiness laced the sound.

Aerith turned back to look at the man standing next to her. For a moment she studied him thinking back to a time when she first met Cloud and noted the startling resemblance.

They had been so confused back then…most of them.

_Was it you or Zack?_

She remembered her own confusion as to where her truly heart was back when she'd first met him, and then she thought of Cloud's similar situation.

_Was it Tifa or me?_

She looked at him in the middle of the water, surrounded by children and smiling up at Tifa whose happiness and relief and _love_ shone like raw diamonds in her eyes.

_Isn't it amazing that, out of the three of us, only Tifa was sure from the very start of where her heart was?_

"She's still there," Aerith murmured softly. "With you. Where she wants to be."

_Even all those close encounters with death wouldn't let her leave you. All those years going by and despite the injuries and the comas, the pain and the loss and the death, she fought with you, fought for you and stayed by your side…and I chose not to. And I'm sorry, Cloud, that the Planet mattered more to me than being with you._

She turned slightly to look at Zack and realized that he was only here, a normal human in The Promised Land, because she couldn't be alone for so long and her heart had subconsciously summoned him to be with her.

_And I'm sorry that I couldn't wait for you, couldn't wait for nine years like Tifa did._

She laughed, shaking her head at her own blindness and silently thanking Tifa for bringing them where they were and putting the pieces of the puzzle together. Understanding Cloud like no one else, even when she had it all wrong, her words had undoubtedly done the trick.

And now Cloud could smile and could head back home knowing he'd saved the world once again and protected the ones he cherished most because of a simple, honest question that Tifa had quietly asked in a moment of weakness. A question which he found himself answering with determined actions and no words.

And which both the flower girl and the martial artist had completely misinterpreted.

_Well_, Aerith mused silently, turning her head to face him. _She did say that words weren't the only way of telling people what you're feeling. And you remembered that._

Their eyes met and locked and she smiled at him gently, knowing she was leaving him in good hands and knowing that this time, Cloud would truly be where he belonged, with the ones he cherished and needed to be with.

"You see? Everything's alright."

She turned, feeling so much more at peace than she'd ever been while Zack gave him a curt wave and followed her back to the Promised Land.

When she paused momentarily to take one last look at the people in the chapel, Zack standing loyally by her side, she thought again of the things she'd silently spoken to Tifa.

_Do you really love him as much as I do?_

Aerith laughed. So even here, in a dimension which broke the limits of space, and breached the boundaries of time, where knowledge laced through the very atmosphere and wisdom, far beyond any wisdom reigned in glorified splendor, something as simple and honest as love could still be misunderstood.

She looked down at the small family, her eyes filled with pride and newfound delight as she saw real, genuine smiles on her friends' faces. Her eyes fixed to Tifa who was watching Cloud standing with the children in the water, touching the pink ribbon on her arm.

Shaking her head in answer to her own question, Aerith wondered how Tifa's heart, one that had loved with so much vigor, relentlessly battling the boundaries of time and space, of everything that threatened to erase that love she held for Cloud and always emerging victoriously, one that was so human, could be so strong.

A dimension all on its own, Tifa's heart had even overpowered the Promised Land, surpassing the strength and the power that graced the heavenly place.

_Of course not! _She thought, quietly communicating the words to Tifa before she turned around and continued to walk away, a soft smile, one filled with pride and bliss and a different kind of happiness, touching her lips.

_You loved him so much more…_

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